"Fast car" is kind of a continuation of Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run." It has all the clawing your way to a better life, but in this case the protagonist never makes it with her love; in fact she is dragged back down by him.
There is still an amazing amount of hope and will in the lyrics; and the lyrics themselve rank and easy five. If only music was stronger it would be one of those great radio songs that you hear once a week 20 years after it was released. The imagery is almost tear-jerking ("City lights lay out before us", "Speeds so fast felt like I was drunk"), and the idea of starting from nothing and just driving and working and denigrating yourself for a chance at being just above poverty, then losing in the end is just painful and inspiring at the same time.
Held like water in you shaking hands
Are all the small defeats a day demands
10 to 6 or 9 to 5
Trying, dying to survive
Never knowing what survival means
Leave the apartment to buy alcohol
Hang our diplomas on the bathroom wall
Pick at the plaster chipped away
Survey some stunning tooth decay
Enlist the cat in the impending class war
Let's lay our bad day down here, dear
Let's make-believe we're strong
Or hum some protest song
Like maybe "We Shall Overcome Someday"
Overcome the stupid things we say
Say I needed more than this
Say I needed one more kiss
We left that light on way too long now
Let's plant a bomb at city-hall
Let's kill an MLA
We'll talk the night away
You call in sick, I'll quit the word-games that I play
I swear, I way more than half believe it when I say
That somewhere love and justice shine
Cynicism falls asleep
Tyranny talks to itself
Sappy slogans all come true
We forget to feed our fear
Are all the small defeats a day demands
10 to 6 or 9 to 5
Trying, dying to survive
Never knowing what survival means
Leave the apartment to buy alcohol
Hang our diplomas on the bathroom wall
Pick at the plaster chipped away
Survey some stunning tooth decay
Enlist the cat in the impending class war
Let's lay our bad day down here, dear
Let's make-believe we're strong
Or hum some protest song
Like maybe "We Shall Overcome Someday"
Overcome the stupid things we say
Say I needed more than this
Say I needed one more kiss
We left that light on way too long now
Let's plant a bomb at city-hall
Let's kill an MLA
We'll talk the night away
You call in sick, I'll quit the word-games that I play
I swear, I way more than half believe it when I say
That somewhere love and justice shine
Cynicism falls asleep
Tyranny talks to itself
Sappy slogans all come true
We forget to feed our fear
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
Mental Istid
Ebba Grön
Ebba Grön
This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
Holiday
Bee Gees
Bee Gees
@[Diderik:33655] "Your a holiday!" Was a popular term used in the 50s/60s to compliment someone on their all around. For example, not only are they beautiful, but they are fun and kind too ... just an all around "holiday".
I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
Dreamwalker
Silent Planet
Silent Planet
I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
Page
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.
i'm pretty positive he sings "let's" after those lines, mister fakeestate. hate to shatter that one for you.
but, you're right; the weakerthans are all about the small details. i really do love how the literary quotes in the liner notes of all their albums slowly start to tie into the lyrics of each and every song.
can't wait for a new album.